Back at It

After improvement in my carpal tunnel situation, I’ve landed somewhere between the 6-8 hours/day I was spending on this project and the few minutes at a time I was spending when the hand was acting up. Yesterday I spent most of the afternoon cutting pieces and gluing them to their paper templates. That doesn’t bother my hand like the hand stitching does. Last night I stitched a few star points to their center hexagons. 

This will be the final large rosy that I have to stitch. Then I have oodles of the smaller ones. I haven’t counted just how many. But they should go much faster than the large ones have.

I hope you are all staying well out there. The situation is getting much scarier with some governors planning to call off the lockdown right at the height of the pandemic. I plan to do just as I have been doing--staying home. When I do have to go out, I’m wearing my mask and gloves and staying away from people.

I don’t like being confined to quarters any more than anybody else does. But I know it’s for my own safety as well as the safety of others. I’m blessed to have a home to quarantine in, and to have the luxury of staying safe in it. So many don’t have that luxury. 

A humongous THANK YOU to all the health workers, law enforcement workers, grocery store workers, and all the others who have to go out into the infected air and risk their lives every day. May God hold them up.

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On 04/21/2020, Barbara Anne said ...

So glad you're again able to work on that glorious millefiori project and wish you well on all the littles to come.

I, too, am grateful to have a fulfilling hobby that I love and that is too much fun to see me through these troubled times. The Laundry Basket quilt-along is keeping me happily busy.

The many folks who continue to work to care for the sick, to feed the rest of us, and in all other jobs that keep us going have my heartfelt thanks, too.

Hugs!

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And the Fates Conspire Against Me

Work on the millefiori quilt came to somewhat of a screeching halt earlier this week when my right hand suffered a major carpal tunnel flare. I was diagnosed several years ago and afterwards have pretty much denied the condition until I have a big flare. This one got so bad, with three fingers totally numb and pain throughout the rest of my hand, that I could no longer feel the needle. I was forced to cry "uncle."

I started doing my hand exercises and wearing my brace when I didn’t need my hand for other things (I wear it all night while sleeping). Things got better, but I’m still able to only sew a little at a time. No more 6-8 hour stretches of hand sewing as I was previously doing.

This might mean I’ll miss my self-imposed deadline of August 31 to finish this project and get it to the quilter. But I’m still determined to have it ready to enter in my guild’s 2021 quilt show (if we’re out of quarantine by that time).

Speaking of quarantine, my book club met by way of Zoom yesterday. It was my first experience with the app, and I was quite intimidated when I learned of the plans. But with the help of one of our member’s husband, who set us up and gave us a password, it was quite simple and lots of fun. I wore pajama pants to book club. What could be more fun? I did wear a proper top, though, brushed my hair, and splattered on a little makeup in order to look presentable on the computer screen.

The weather is wonderful here--cold nights, cool days, very springlike. All the leaves have bushed out, turning the landscape from brown to green. The pollen has almost stopped falling, and my allergies have calmed down a little bit. I could take these weather conditions all year long, I think.

Laundry awaits. Be well everyone.

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On 04/16/2020, LaVoice Morgan said ...

I have never had your problem with my hands, but friends have and it is very painful. Trust things improve all around soon. I love quilts and have many. I did not quilt them, but most are handmade and hand quilted. I enjoy seeing yours. Take care.

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On 04/16/2020, Barbara Anne said ...

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that your hands are rebelling at all of the hand sewing you've been doing in the past weeks. You're wise to exercise as directed and to wear your splint more often. Perhaps this is the time to plan a machine pieced project or even one that uses up leftover blocks or block parts like HSTs and strips so you'll avoid as much fabric cutting as is possible. With proper rest for your fingers and hands, you'll probably be able to return to the millefiori project soon but just not spend so long/day on it. Maybe thirty minutes 3 times a day would let you make good progress but not over-tax your hands.

Am glad you could enjoy book club by way of zoom. :)

Our weather is lovely, too, and it would suit me for it to continue until autumn just like this - unlikely as that is.

Hugs!

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On 05/01/2020, Deb said ...

Zoom has definitely come in handy during our quarantine! We don't do church per se via zoom...but after everyone has listened to the sermon online, our church group connects via Zoom to discuss and make comments and for prayer time. It's great to get to see everyone in their own living room setting...and I can say, I'm enjoying church this way a lot! Glad your book club zoom turned out good!
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When Bunnies Were Badass

Happy Easter, everyone.
Don’t let the Booger Bunny get you.

Dear God!

He's gonna eat me!

Twin Terrors

Thanks, Mommy. The valium is working.

Hey Dad, look what we found in the bog. Can we keep him?

I pray to God this is photoshopped.

I believe these two are cohorts in crime.

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On 04/12/2020, Barbara Anne said ...

I think I was spared the trauma of being photographed with the Easter Bunny and after seeing these pictures, I'm glad!

Happy Easter!

Hugs!

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On 04/12/2020, Sylvia said ...

Thank you for the smiles!
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So Many Times That My Memories Are Worn

I am heartsick over the death of singer/songwriter John Prine, another victim of corona. He was 73, which at my age, doesn’t seem so old. 

Prine, along with Bob Dylan, has been a favorite poet of mine since the 70s. I love his ability to tell a story in verse, with just the right tune attached to it. I love the way he could blend humor with nostalgia and social justice. Some my favorite Prine creations are “Paradise,” “Spanish Pipedream,” “Flag Decal,” and “You Never Even Called Me By My Name.” 

I never saw him in person, but during the 80s and 90s, I spent a lot of time at Bluegrass concerts, festivals, and gatherings where Prine’s songs were always a fixture. I can hear one of them, and great memories flood my heart and mind.

Rest in peace, John Prine. Thank you for the Paradise of your music and verse.

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On 04/09/2020, Barbara Anne said ...

We had not heard that John Prine had died and are heartsick at the news. He has long been one of our favorite singers and songwriter, too.

We echo your thanks to John Prine.

Hugs

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On 04/11/2020, Sandra Clarke said ...

I do agree! I love his songs. Did you see the tribute to him on the late shi with Stephen Colbert? Brandy Carlisle did a wonderful job on one of his songs.

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Social Distancing

Well, they aren’t exactly six feet apart, but they’re small. Maybe they don’t require as much distance.

I have to venture out today to pick up a prescription. I have a mask and gloves ready to go. I’m a little nervous. I haven’t been inside a store or house or any place except my own in a couple of weeks. I’ve been to Walmart pickup, where you don’t get out of the car. But that’s all. Oh and to the vet where I also didn’t get out of the car. This time, I have to get out of the car since my pharmacy doesn’t deliver to the parking lot. Wish me luck. 

There’s a small grocery store next door to the pharmacy. Since I’ll be out anyway, I might slip in there briefly and try to find some chicken noodle soup. Who would have thought that would be scarce?

I pray everyone is staying well and not too bored. I haven’t experienced any boredom yet, but I do get more antsy as the days go by. I’m sure we’re all going to need a change of scenery and some socializing very badly when all this is over.

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On 04/07/2020, Barbara Anne said ...

Sorry that your pharmacy doesn't have a drive-through as Walgreens and even Kroger do here. Your mask and gloves should keep you safe but remember to take them off before driving home. By the time you use your car again, any virus left in it from cross-contamination will be dead due to time (they live far less than 72 hours and the heat in your car from the sun.

I'm not bored either as I, too, have a lot of fabric to play with and books to read! If I have an abundance of energy (that could happen), there is gardening to do, too.

Wishing you well!

Hugs!
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Going Viral

I have begun to think of this as my coronavirus project. Actually, I think I started it at just about the time the deadly plague invaded our shores. But I wasn’t paying a great deal of attention to the virus at that time, much like our government. Mostly I was sewing and watching old episodes of “The Twilight Zone” and thought I would come up with a title for it that related to that weird show.

But now, I have been through all the TZ episodes and most of the 15 years worth of “Criminal Minds,” and the virus has us locked down. So I think the piece (if I live to finish it and don’t get taken by those tiny red nobby monsters) will always remind me of this dreadful time. So I’ll need a title that thus fits.

Our governor finally put our state on stay-at-home status after it became clear that many folks weren’t concerned enough to obey the request. We can leave home for essential things (groceries, medicine, even to pick up fast food), but no socializing, partying, being entertained, etc. Only essential workers are excused. Funny; I always thought all workers were essential.

Daughter Andy gave us a scare this week. Her employer has kept its establishment open and the small staff has been required to continue coming in, even after a couple of the employees had been exposed. Andy came down with a fever on Thursday and went home. She called her doctor who kept tabs on her until yesterday afternoon when the fever subsided and Andy began to feel better. The doctor said it was likely just an ordinary bug of some kind. Thank you, God. Her employer has now decided that from now on, employees will be working from home.

All of my family continues to stay well and cloistered, going out only for essentials. Jesse has been going over to his friend Joe’s almost every evening. But after the governor’s order yesterday, he says he won’t go any more. We are also making masks for the times we have to go out for essentials. Some say that masks don’t help, but nobody has said they hurt. If they don’t help, why do medical people wear them?

Stay well, everybody, and stay home if possible.

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On 04/04/2020, Barbara Anne said ...

Love your amazing hexie project and think it's too pretty to be named for this scary virus. Perhaps you could call it "Silver Lining" or "Making the best use of my time" or "A Mighty Effort" or "It's still cheaper than therapy!"?

I'm participating in the Laundry Basket sew-along to keep myself busy and psyched up. Saturday was the last day for new blocks to be posted, but I thought Edtya was going to talk us through sewing all those blocks together. Not that I'm to that point as I'm still back on block 4. I have downloaded the instructions for the next 11 blocks so I'll be okay.

I read it's best to sew the mask ties vertically as they're easier to tie and fit properly. Also one blogger suggests tee shirt fabric between the front and back layers of the mask for extra filtering.

Stay safe!

Hugs!
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Jesse’s 31st

Jesse's birthday cake, made by his mom Andy and left on our front porch. I guess you could say we had a visit from the Birthday Bunny.

Jesse and I celebrated his 31st birthday--just us. I made us a steak dinner (filet mignon, which Jesse had bought a few days ago). It’s the first time I had ever cooked F.M. I cooked it on the George Foreman and it was really good. Next time I won’t let it grill quite so long. I like my steak just barely past medium. No oozing blood. These were well done.

Jesse’s mom made him a birthday cake and left it on the porch, where we picked it up. She’s afraid to come around us since she’s required to work every day. It isn’t a big office, and she deals with the public only by phone, but still. No need taking a chance.

Rosette 2 is complete, and I have begun Rosette 3.

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On 04/01/2020, Barbara Anne said ...

Happy Birthday, Jesse! Hope you enjoyed the steak and cake and that the coming year will be an amazing one for you!

My baby will be 36 in 2 weeks. YIKES!

LOVE your amazing rosette #2 and cannot imagine how you've chosen the fabrics to use and to put in the perfect places. Well done!

I'm doing the Laundry Basket quilt sew-along and am lagging behind. Today decided not to make the 8 Ohio Stars that are meant to be block 4 but to make 8 Evening Star blocks instead because they are my favorite block and it's my quilt!

Hugs!

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On 04/03/2020, Stephani in N. TX said ...

Just checking in, making sure you're getting along. And besides it's silent in my house where there's no one but me living here. I visit with one son and family. We only see each other and there is only one child. Son picks up additional groceries for me as myself and his wife must remain out of the public. Grandson spent a sleepover with his Nana and it was wonderful, making a tent of quilts, building with blocks, and driving racing cars, finished off by watching The Cat in the Hat. Happy Birthday to Jesse. I always told my son to be grateful, I saved him from being born on April Fools Day. We lived a long way from the hospital and I had a history of delivering early and fast, so son #2 was induced on March 31. Have a great day and thanks for your blog, fun to keep up during the Great Alone. Sorry about New Orleans and the virus. I guess we are learning a lot about close contact and the spread vs. Alone Together.
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